"Who do you think that girl is that Michael's been talking to?"

I was at work, absentmindedly wiping down the counters at 8:30 at night and closing time was in about 30 minutes. I had been at work all day and I was exhausted from baking, and honestly I couldn't stop thinking about how Luke had called me "Mike's girl", and the fact that Michael didn't even both to deny it. My stomach and heart had been fluttering almost all day and I had been dying to get out of this bakery and call Michael, but two girls eating ice cream had snagged me out of my daze and got my attention.

Michael? Michael who? Michael Clifford? Am I that girl?

I mean, he occasionally will screenshot our conversations and post them to twitter if he thought it was funny, or tag me in weird shit thinking I would find it funny, but am I that girl?

No, it can't be. It's just a coincidence. It's another guy named Michael.

I left from behind the counter and started wiping down the tables near them, trying to eavesdrop.

"Fuck if I know," the brunette said, shrugging her shoulders. "She doesn't even have any pictures on her page."

Okay, it has to be a coincidence. Can't be me.

"I wonder how they even know each other," the red head mused, sighing. I pushed my glasses up my nose and moved to a closer table.

"Do you think she's famous?"

"No way, she only has like a thousand followers on Twitter," said Ginger, shaking her head and shoving her phone in her friends face.

1,026, if you wanna get technical.

But as I moved around to another table, I caught sight of a Twitter profile.

My Twitter profile.

As I was bending over the table to see better, my hand slipped from under the rag and off the table, causing me to fall over on the ground.

"Crap," I mumbled, rubbing my elbow that smashed onto the ground. Ginger jumped up and trotted over to me, helping me up to my feet as Bruny snickered in her seat, shoving ice cream down her throat. I smiled in thanks to Ginger and ran back behind the counter. I resulted to bringing unsold cakes to the back to put in the freezer.

"She's probably ugly," Bruny shrugged, snickering again. "Or a slut." Ginger slapped her arm.

"Don't be mean, Beth. She could be super hot. I'm gonna follow her, she seems cool."

And a second later, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

"Oh c'mon, Anna. Are you gonna message her too? Maybe become best friends with her and try to get her to hook you up with Mikey?" Beth taunted, causing Anna to scowl at her.

"Meredith!" My boss, Tammy, shouted at me from behind and making me jump.

"Sorry," I mumbled, rushing to the freezer to put the cake I had been holding up. My eyes had unshed tears in them and my hands were shaking and I felt like I was about to have an anxiety attack.

"She's probably ugly."

~~~~

[slight trigger warning]

Ugly.

Ugly.

Ugly.

Fat.

Ugly fat stupid bitch.

Useless.

Worthless.

Stupid stupid stupid.

Fat.

Fat.

U s e l e s s.

Those are the words I repeatedly wrote down in my journal later that night. My fingers were itching to pick up an old friend as I ran them down the faded old scars on my arms. And just as I reached for the handle on the desk drawer in my room, someone softly knocked on my door. I pulled the sleeves down of my sweater and mumbled a quiet "come in". My mom slowly opened my door, offering me a small smile. I sighed, closing my journal and putting it away. My mom sat on the edge of my bed and I joined her.

"How was work?" She wondered, searching my eyes and taking in my tear stained face.

"Fine," I mumbled, scratching the back of my neck. Mom pursed her lips.

"My motherly instincts are telling me otherwise."

"I'm not sure you'll understand," I sighed. Mom offered me another smile as she took my hands in hers. She looked down at our hands, then slid her hand up, pushing up one of my sleeves. I winced as she ran her hand back down my scars. I had never told her about it.

"Try me," she murmured, still smiling at me.

///////

(a/n)

another weird chapter wow go figure i give you all permission to send angry bees to my house

I just really love dancing michael like it's my aesthetic tbh

❤️don't be a silent reader!!!!❤️